Shadow Children series 1. Pain, Sorrow, and Betrayal

_The Lights…_

I was pushed into a cold, dark, damp room. A sickening sweet smell filled my nose. I looked up and saw three unmoving, frail forma in a dark corner. I heard a loud clang behind me and then the sound of a very large lock being closed. I sighed and sat down o the dusty floor.

_One last…_

I held my knees to my chest and looked at that corner. Suddenly a light started moving around. A small, little, but still hopeful, flame,was burning somehow, over in that corner. I faintly saw the skinny faces of a little girl, and two other boys. None of them looked any older than seven.

_And then…_

Suddenly, the light blew out and i was in darkness again. pulling my knees closer to me i sighed again. I realized that these poor kids had been here even longer than me. Thinking about it made me sick, that the PP **(AN, Population Police for all you people out there who couldn't tell) **would leave, poor, defenseless, little kids to die and starve in a cell.

_I know…_

I let out an exasperated sigh and hugged my knees again. I stood up and pulled at the handel of the large, heavy, rusted, metal door, but it didn't budge. Then i realized that I would probably die alone in this cell, along with those ghostlike kids it the corner. I could barely comprehend the fact that, after all I'd been through, this was how it was all going to end. "Why don't they just kill us now and be done with it?!" i muttered angrily and sorrowfully. I wished that there was something i could do to save me and the ghost kids, but i was only a fourteen year old girl with more life experience that any adult. But that still made me, A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL! I had absolutely no power over this situation, and that bothered me more than anything else in the whole world.

_And all…_

I thought of all the third kids who... HE and I had found, That one kid, Matthias, and Trey and the really peculiar boy, who never revealed his real name, but i think his fake name was Lee. Lee was probably the smartest of all the kids, he never revealed his true identity to anyone, even when... HE, pushed him to tell us, he wouldn't budge. I wished that Lee was smart enough to save us all now, but i already knew that that would never happen. **(*snicker snicker*)**

_My dreams…_

I played with the dust on the ground, picking some up, and letting it slide through my fingers, the picking more up and letting it slide through again. I'd thought about a lot of things, but it was time for me to think about the one thing that I had been avoiding since I got here... Jason. I'd heard Lee talking about how, Jason was trying to get us all killed, that he was turning in all third children to the PP. But i hadn't believed him, and now i realized that i should have. He had never actually once said anything about it to me, but i overheard things. In fact, Lee only seemed to give me some angry, sideways glances. I'd never thought much of it since, i almost always look angry, it's my defense system, if i look angry, then i scare people off who like to talk about, _feelings_. That was the one thing that i dreaded to talk about the most. Love, fear, sorrow, pain, betrayal, I kept all that locked up inside me. Hate, faking, anger, that's all that seemed to come out of me nowadays. I remembered that one night, when Jason and I were in the woods, he had said to me, "I love you." And now i realize that, that was all just a lie. A big, fat, LIE. But, how could he leave all the kids, how could he leave us, how could he leave... me? A tear slid down me cheek and i immediately thought about something else. I remembered faintly that, when i was younger, i had wanted to be a doctor. I'd heard my Aunt Zenka say that Aldous Krakenour was a sick, sick, man, and i had said to her, "I want to be a doctor when i grow up so i can help really sick people like Aldous Krakenour to feel better." she has looked at me and laughing she said, "Only if you work miracles coud you make that man better hon!" Only now did i realize that she hadn't meant that he was physically sic, but that he was sick in the head. And boy i could not agree with her more. But now, it was impossible for me to ever become a doctor, that dream died along with Elodie Luria.

_I try to…_

I pulled my knees to my chest again and still couldn't get comfortable. Sighing loudly, i got up and walked cautiously toward the ghost-kids in the corner. My eyes had ow adjusted to the darkness and i could see a faint outline near where i thought I'd seen them. walkin in that direction i took small steps, so that i wouldn't trip. I sat down next to them and tried not to make contact. i just figured that, my body heat would make them warmer and vice versa. But that didn't seem to work as well as I would have liked. It was awkward at first, but after a while they seemed less tense, and i was to. I expected to feel warmer sitting next to them, but, for some reason, i was colder than i had been before. I shivered and something touched my shoulder and rested there. I felt like a hand, but i couldn't be sure.

_I feel like…_

Sighing I rested my head on the wall behind me. I had a headache, my stomach hurt, my back was killing me, and then there was that small factor of, WE WERE ALL going to die in at least a week, maybe more, maybe less! Little Elodie was seeming more and more different from Nina Idi. I wished that i could be more like a had been, but that just wasn't possible. Elodie was gone for good, and Nina was here to stay.

**(AN) I'm sorry it doesn't go along with the story-line exactly, (or at all) but i had already written it so i didn't think about it...**

**Only YOU can prevent forest fires, **

**KK**


	2. Finding Friends

_After all this…_

"When all of us shadow children are allowed to walk in the light," I promised myself quietly, "I _will_ be one of them. I will not die today, I will remain until the day that God has planned." A little voice mumbled something next to me. I realized that, in the time I'd been here, i had gotten closer and closer to the ghost kids. "What?" another voice asked. "I said, 'we all hope that'" the first voice replied. I decided it was time to introduce myself. But who as? Elodie would reveal my true identity to these complete strangers, but Nina would mean that these potential friends, would never know the real me. But who was the real me? I sure as heck wasn't sweet, little Elodie anymore, but, did I really want to be Nina?

_After I've…_

I tried my best not to cry, if i cried, the tears would never stop. I said to the ghost kids, "I'm... Nina." Three pairs of eyes turned to me, as if to say, 'It speaks?!' "Who are you?" i said to the bright blue eyes of someone sitting next to me. "I'm Alia, and this is Percy" she replied, pointing to somebody slightly taller than her, with bright green eyes, "and this is Matthias." She pointed to another boy a little bit taller than the other one and maybe even an inch taller than myself, with dark, amber eyes. "How old are you all? None of you look any older than seven, no offence." i said sheepishly. "For your information, _all_ of us are older than seven." Percy said. "I'm ten, Alia is eight, and Matthias is fifteen. At least... we think so." "I'm fourteen, i know so." i replied in the same tone as Percy had used.I realized that there was still a hand on my shoulder, i looked at the hand and followed the arm to the face of Matthias. I smiled at him and said, "Hi..." there was a long silence and Matthias dropped his arm. I stopped faking my smile and inched closer to him. Alia moved to snuggle against my thigh and Percy sat on his own, about a meter away. "C'mon Perce." Matthias said next to me, "You'll freeze over there." he grabbed Percy's hand and pulled him over to our little pile of kids, suddenly, the door opened to reveal the dark silhouette of a tall bulky man.

_Though it won't be…_

We all looked toward the man and Alia pulled back so hard, that I was pushed against Matthias, and Matthias against the wall. Percy had, fortunately for him, still been off to the side before the door opened, so he was completely fine. The man walked in and grabbed my arm, pulling me out from underneath all of the other kids. My shoulder made a popping noise and I smothered a scream, the man pulled on my bad arm, my left, and i followed him out of the room. I knew that i was about to die anyway, so, why not die being obnoxious? "Hey! Why kill just us, when you can just kill everyone?!" I said to the man in front of me. The man turned to me, pure hate in his eyes, then his hate softened, and then it came back again. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and said, "I AM GOING TO HELP YOU! Follow me." then he let go and walked into a room. I followed him and almost passed out when i stepped into the room. The aroma was so overwhelming, biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, and any other food imaginable. I promised myself that i would take some food back to Percy, Matthias, and Alia, then sat down across from the Hating Man. He motioned with his hand for me to eat and i gladly obliged. Digging in, I said to him, "Why, and HOW, exactly are you going to help me?!" "Well, you little _brat_, i was just getting to that." He said, banging his fist into some mashed potatoes, "You are going to get those kids, in that cell with you, you're going to find out who else they know, what other third kids, where their parents are, the whole shanig, and then, and only then, we will set you free." "What happens to them after i tell you guys? Do you kill them, beat them to death, chop off their heads, or, what? Have a tea party?! I 'aint doing _nothing_ for you until i know what you do to them." i said snottily. The man looked really peeved, so i got up, grabbed a couple rolls and things, and was led out the door by one of the PP. I realized then, that yelling at him right then, most likely just made it so I would be killed. I had no hope for a future anyway, so this wasn't to horrible. But still, did i really _want_ to die? I sure as heck didn't think so. But i wasn't going to get these kids killed either. I didn't know what to do but just wait it out. I looked at the door to the cell, then back at the office door. I ran to the office door, opened it, and called in, "I'll help!" then ran back out, trying to come up with a plan.

_And there'll…_

I knew what I'd just done was wrong, but it's not like I'd live up to my word. I would one day be back to my old self. I would once again be Elodie. But... to bad that it just wasn't that simple. I would never become Elodie, but i wouldn't always be Nina. I would be someone better than them, i would be like both of them combined. I would be beautiful, i would be smart, i would be... me. And, even after all of the pain i'd been through, i would be like a mine. It takes a long time to find the beauty, but once it's found, it can never be replaced.

_You will…_

They pushed me back inside the cell and i prayed, "God? Are you there? Please, make me a better person, give me the strength to make it through this, and... please make this be the wise choice. You will make me beautiful once again, I'll just have to wait and see what you have in store."

**(AN) Hi! Okay, i know that this was a really awkward thing but, i am half asleep right now so, it's probably pretty horrible. So, if you like it then maybe it isn't as bad as i thought, if you don't, then blame me being a total insomniac.**

**OKK, BYE!,**

**KK**


	3. The Betrayed Becomes the Betrayer?

**(AN) Hi, if anyone is still reading this, I'm really sorry about my waaaaaay to late update! I totally lost track of time... Hee Hee Hee Hee! So here's the next verse, I hope you like it!**

_My whole world..._

The man behind me grabbed me back out from the room by my ratty, braided, brown hair. "OW! Get off of me!" I screamed. I meant to sound vicious, but it came out as a pitiful squeak. He punched me in the face, with brute force. I felt what I believed was blood running down my dirty face, and all I could feel was the pain of his punch. But that was pretty much all I felt now, pain, sorrow, and…pure raging fury! At the hating man, at Jason, at… myself? I remembered evesdropping on the T.V. in our living room with my aunties, how the man on the television said, 'USE HIS OWN FORCE AGAINST HIM!' But how was I supposed to do that when he was two feet taller than me and had a gun? Tell me if you know. **(AN: Seriously, do.)** He pulled me closer to him, then screamed in my face, "WHAT'S THAT LITTLE GIRL?!" "I said, GET OFF OF ME!" I yelled back at him. "Guards, this… Are you a girl?" he asked me rudely, "What do you think?" I replied snottily, rolling my eyes. I knew my actions would probably get me slapped, or worse, but at this point, I DIDN'T CARE.

_The best I can do..._

"This… GIRL needs to be treated for fleas, and other nasty things," he said again, holding his nose. I bit at his unnaturally clean hand and he slapped me, hard. I fought the tears that were brimming in my eyes. Another man came and took me away, into another room. It was all I could do not to pass out right here, from exhaustion, and from hunger. But my anger kept me going, and the guard behind me, pushing me forward if I slowed down. I would have stayed in that cell all day if it weren't for these stupid PPs, Finally, I was pushed into another room; there were whips and other items I couldn't name all over the wall. And I had a horrible feeling that they were going to use them all. On. ME…

_When life before..._

Turns out…I was right. They whipped me, they slapped me, they did many things to me, but I'm sure that you don't want to hear the gruesome details. The guard who had followed me in the hall, and punched me, came back and grabbed me by the hair. He pushed me in front of him and slapped my back. I screamed and hissed as a searing pain ran through my beaten back. "Learn your lesson? If not I'll gladly send you back in there." He smiled manically and slapped my back again. I hissed and then he pushed me through another hallway and back into the hating man's office. "I'm going to need an entirely, _truthful _answer," He said to me. The pictures all over the wall reminded me of the auntie's house, fruit baskets, angels, they were all memories from my childhood. But that's all they really were now… memories. I suddenly felt guilty, for betraying the others before, but I couldn't very well say no now! "I'll help you," I said, keeping my head down. "What was that?" the hating man asked me. "I said; I'll help you." And then I put my head back down again. Trying to fight the fear that, maybe we won't be able to escape, but either way they would die, and I wasn't ready to die just yet.

_I'll wonder why..._

The other guy behind me stood up and grabbed the back of my shirt, making me hiss yet again. I stood up, turned around quickly, and followed the man. We got to a locked door and he slapped me again, I fought back the urge to slap him back, any more whips and I would die. He slapped me again and punched me, giving me another blood nose. I held my nose as he unlocked the door, then walked in after him as he opened the door to the cell. As I was pushed into the cell again I prayed, 'Why do you put me through this God? Why is this world so evil that they kill children, and why am I one of those children?' and I swear I heard a voice say, "You'll learn in time my dear child." And as the searing pain in my back began to subside, I realized, that was an answer to my prayer.

_And though I can't understand..._

I looked over at the little huddle the others had made in the corner and sighed. "Why me?" I mumbled, scurrying over to Percy, Matthias, and Alia. I handed them each a roll, the men who whipped me hadn't found them surprisingly, but I was unable to eat one myself after what I'd just done. Matthias looked at me and asked, "You sure you don't want one? Where'd you get these anyway?" "There was a tray out in the hall full of 'em," I lied. I slowly picked up a small piece of a roll, even though I was full of the population police's food, I didn't want any suspicions rising. I slowly lifted it to my lips and ate, but the once flakey, buttery roll, was now dry and bitter in my mouth. "Why did this happen to us?" I wondered aloud, Alia looked at me with her large, round, blue/grey eyes and replied, "Samuel said that there was so much sin that the Devil had taken over many people's hearts, and those people became the Population Police, and that only God and his children could stop it." I suddenly dropped the roll that I had been picking at, "I…I, don't understand. If God is really that powerful, why doesn't he just save us all now?" I wasn't questioning their beliefs, but I was genuinely curious.

_I know that I will..._

"We don't know why, but we know he must have a good reason. Maybe we'll understand when we're older; after all, we're _only seven_." Alia replied with a smile. I felt my face go red and realized that she was only joking. After all, how could such a cute little girl be that mean, mean enough to say that, just to make me feel stupid? "I'm sorry about that again," I said to her, "I probably don't look much older than that myself." Matthias said to me, "it's okay, we understand. We've lived on the streets our entire life, our parents never wanted us, we're all small, and… well, you definitely look older than we do." I smiled at him, and watched as he split the two rolls. I noticed that he had a funny way of splitting them, one large piece, another slightly smaller, and one very small piece. He gave the largest one to Alia, gave Percy the other, and kept the tiniest one for himself. I peeled off a piece of my roll and handed it to him. "You guys have been in here longer, you'll need them more." He smiled at me and went to split it again, but I stopped him and said, "You'll need it, just eat that one on your own, I'll get more eventually."

_And see how..._

I thought on what Alia had said, 'Maybe we'll understand when we're older.' Even though she was only eight, I believed her. We were all just kids, eight, ten, fourteen, and fifteen, we may have gone through more than any grown adult, but we still couldn't quite understand things like this. All I knew was that when this was all over, there God would bring beauty from our pain. And even as we were sitting in this cell, lonely and cold, we still had the hope of God saving us. "What's a good metaphor to describe us all?" Percy asked, for the first time he was talking directly to me.

_And made me as gold..._

"I have it! We're mines, even though it may seem to take forever to find the beauty inside, it's still there, we just have to look and find it, and let it show through." I said, triumphantly. Matthias looked at me as if I made no sense to him whatsoever, Alia looked happy for me, and Percy's face was expressionless. "Nina! We will see you now." A man said opening the door. I got up and followed him out, unable to speak because of the fear…

**(AN) I am sorry, but I may not be updating this story again, but if I do, be sure to tell me if you like it. The rest pretty much follows the book, she gous in and Teddy drops the keys and BLAH BLAH BLAH… So thanks for reading,**

- **KK**


End file.

Shadow Children series, Drama